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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To train my hair to be washed only once a week

123 replies

twentyfourth · 03/12/2020 16:22

I binned sls and silicones around 6 weeks ago and I can now go a week before washing again. Previously it had to be done every other day because I have really fine, lifeless hair.

It can be done!

OP posts:
LadyMonicaBaddingham · 03/12/2020 21:04

I was bullied at school for having 'oil-slick' hair and that will never leave me. I really TRY not to wash it every single day, but the compulsion overtakes... I wasn't allowed to shower before school as there "wasn't enough time".

day7 · 03/12/2020 21:10

@SewingBeeAddict you're very sneery Hmm

SmileyClare · 03/12/2020 21:11

I don't think it's necessarily better for your hair or scalp to not wash it for weeks. Whatever works for you I suppose.

A few posters have said it took around 6 weeks putting up with awful greasy hair to train it. 6 weeks? I couldn't face that..weeks of looking and feeling all greasy. I wouldn't want to go out.

Hiddennameforever · 03/12/2020 21:12

I would never wash my hair daily.
I remember one of my ex colleagues always moaned about her washing her hair every morning and by late afternoon her hair were already greasy.
The more you wash them, the more they get greasy.
All my friends wash hair daily and say that don’t understand how come I’m not.
I wash them every 4-5 days, it is not greasy in the end but I like the fresh feel.

lotusbell · 03/12/2020 21:13

I have thick hair and lots of it, I can go about 3 days, 4 maximum. My hair doesn't look too greasy but my scalp starts to itch like buggery and stinks so I can't go any longer.

day7 · 03/12/2020 21:14

@SmileyClare

I don't think it's necessarily better for your hair or scalp to not wash it for weeks. Whatever works for you I suppose.

A few posters have said it took around 6 weeks putting up with awful greasy hair to train it. 6 weeks? I couldn't face that..weeks of looking and feeling all greasy. I wouldn't want to go out.

No one is suggesting not washing it for weeks. 7 days is the maximum I would leave it.
SmileyClare · 03/12/2020 21:17

Someone stopped me on day 6 to say much hair smelt amazing

Well that's just showing off now Grin What did it smell of? Are you the same poster that only washes their hair with an egg every fortnight?
How did they know the smell wasn't just your perfume or fabric softener?

LucyRivers167 · 03/12/2020 21:20

I wash mine everyday because it gets so awfully greasy, I look terrible and feel like my head is itchy. My skin is oily too, related I suppose.

It is a massive pain in the arse having to do it everyday; in fact, I get anxious going away in case I can't wash it! If I wash it in the afternoon, say 1pm, it is full on grease by 9am the next morning.

EveryDayIsADuvetDay · 03/12/2020 21:21

@CounsellorTroi - someone in the park - I;d stopped to say hello to their dog Xmas Smile

When I did wash mine more frequently, it was a permanent battle of frizz because it got so dry - washing weekly results in curls rather than frizz.
(mostly)

SmileyClare · 03/12/2020 21:51

Yes me too Lucy Its one of the reasons I 'll never go camping! High maintenance hair Blush

If I left it for a week I think I'd need a jet wash and industrial detergent to remove the oil. A plus side to having greasy hair is that it's very shiny when I wash it (everyday).

DrinkFeckArseGirls · 03/12/2020 22:40

TooExtraImmatureCheddar Biolage HydraSource and Bed Head recharge. Ok, they’re no sls free but tbh it’s the technique more than shampoo? Although next time I’ll be buying a new shampoo it’ll be sls free. I have loads of shampoos at the moment in my price bracket these two are the best.

You need to survive the first week though - it will get greasy AF. Second week my hair looked good for 4 days instead of 1,5, then it got to 5, 6, 7 days. Today I washed my hair after 10 days and it was not greasy - it was a one off though as my schedule changed.

My hair is fine and lost loads of it after having DD so it’s not one of those thick manes that you imagine when people say they need little maintenance. It has much more volume though now!

Hope it makes sense, I’m knackered Grin

DrinkFeckArseGirls · 03/12/2020 22:42

LucyRivers167 the more often you wash, the quicker it gets greasy! I had been making the same mistake for years. Avoiding conditioners, just using light leave in ones when my hair was greasy but dehydrated. It’s lime with oily skim - you fight oil with oil!

Jumpalicious · 03/12/2020 22:45

@picklemewalnuts

I wash mine every ten to fourteen days with an egg, or henna powder.

Day one, it's curly/wavy and dry.
Day seven it's sleek and bouncy.
Day ten I start to wear it up or wash my scalp with just water, which makes the ends curly again.

I occasionally use other things- vinegar, aqua faba, etc, but egg and henna are my go to.

How do you use henna powder? The only time I tried using henna it resulted in one big mess! A sort of orangey mess.
Glendaruel · 03/12/2020 22:49

I say my hair about once a week. About two years ago I switched shampoo to a shampoo bar from lush and a conditioner bar (although I will occasionally use Aussie 3 minute conditioner). After years thinking i had to wash it, I realised it was in better condition for not washing.

babbi · 03/12/2020 23:02

@QueenPaws your hair is stunning... absolutely gorgeous... I’m so jealous

GlamGiraffe · 03/12/2020 23:38

I teally think brushing your hair with a natural bristle brush makes an enormous difference too. It stops the oils being accumulated at the roots and allows them to spread and coat the hairs. Actually that sounds totally disgusting when i write it down! I have always had very long fine hair. I wash it maybe after 10 days (i can easily leave it 14). I've only ever used a mason and Pearson bristle and nylon mix hairbrush and my hsirdresser (actually every hairdresser) has said i have the best condition hair they have seen so i truly think it makes a difference. It definitely doesnt smell or look slimy.( I do have dry skin overall so that makes a big difference and no longer spend hours on the tube which helps.)
It takes 20 plus mins to wash my hair and a good hour to properly dry it. Theres no way im doing that if i dont have to!

grassisjeweled · 03/12/2020 23:41

Still skeptical about this. No-one can ever provide proof of greasy hair being magically transformed.

The best you can do is SLS free shampoo and dry shampoo. I once didn't wash my hair for 4 days and you could see the line of grease on the lengths of my hair.

ViciousJackdaw · 03/12/2020 23:50

No-one can ever provide proof of greasy hair being magically transformed

That's probably because it isn't magically transformed. It takes weeks, maybe even a couple of months. I suspect it gets really bad before it gets better. Not that I've actually tried it, I'm usually using coal tar shampoo or a steroid lotion.

Alternista · 04/12/2020 00:05

Surely dry shampoo defeats the object in terms of training the hair, it just takes the grease out via difference means to wet shampoo??

Overall I’m not convinced, sorry. In all those photos the mid length to the ends of all your hair look lovely, but I’m afraid to me the roots do look like they need a wash.

I exercise every day and I’m a sweaty cow so mine gets washed most days. If I can I leave it a second day but it just feels horrible even if it looks ok. I’m also a bit of a bloodhound and the smell of a greasy scalp can make my stomach turn from several desks away.

Staffy1 · 04/12/2020 00:11

I have tried. I can't get past day 5 (that's the longest ever managed) without having to wash the oil slick it becomes.

ElGuardiandenoche · 04/12/2020 00:37

I now have my hair washed once a week, I go to a hairdressers as I am disabled and it is very long and fine and it looks great between washes. During lockdown I was going up to 2 weeks without washing and it was fine, just starting to get a bit unruly by day 14, I don't use dry shampoo at all.
I was bed bound for a long period during lockdown and had put it up in a bun and by the time I was able to think about it it was a complete birds nest. I actually had a thread on here asking for help with pictures of the before and after.

Wexone · 04/12/2020 08:33

just to meant to say to everyone that yes my hair took about 6 weeks to get to a stage of only washing it once a week, But my hair wasn't left for 6 weeks without washing . It was 6 weeks of stretching out the days in between washing. Like the 1st week was every 3 days. Yes it was greasy and a bit hard to deal with in the beginning, but it was during lockdown I wasn't stepping outside the door, no one saw me apart from himself and the dogs. If I did go out it was to walk the dogs and had a hat on me most of the time. But it worked for me. I don't go to the gym, my exercise is walking at the dogs, I did go swimming before lockdown but haven't been in 9 months now. I can now get up in the morning throw on a shower cap and have quick shower in 5 mins. Its great. I washed may hair last Friday. Got up this morning its a little greasy now, have thrown in some dry shampoo. I ma not washing it this morning as am working till 1 at home then plan on taking down the decorations out of the attic and doing a clean including changing my bed sheets. Once that is done will have a shower and wash my hair. Then it will be good for another week I have very long thick hair, but my sister has very fine thin hair that looked like she had dunked her hair in a grease bucket when she was a teenager, and she has managed to do reduce the amount of times she has to wash her hair. It worked for us

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